Smyrna Car Accident Lawyer

Car accidents are extremely common, and their results can be costly. Whether the situation involves a multi-car pileup or a low-speed accident in a parking lot, the potential for serious injuries and lasting medical harm is always high.

Injury victims may be left with thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands in medical bills. Add to that the costs of reduced income while the victim cannot perform their former duties at work, and some car accident case damages can easily top the million dollar mark.

Fortunately, you have legal options available. An attorney can help you navigate the process of filing a car accident injury claim, lending their knowledge and experience to help you maximize your chances of successful damage recovery.

In addition, they will help identify which state and federal rules, laws, and legal codes you can use to your advantage. They also essentially handle the entire claims process on your behalf while giving you the opportunity to provide input and make key decisions.

This comprehensive set of services allows you to focus on your recovery. Rest assured that your attorney is fighting to secure the compensation you need while ensuring your rights are protected every step of the way.

So, if you’re ready to speak with an experienced attorney, don’t hesitate to contact our team today.

At the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, we’re here to help. We can meet with you and your loved ones to review your specific accident details, helping you decide the best path forward.

We’ll kick things off with a free and confidential case review with no obligation, where you can walk us through exactly what happened. Schedule your free case evaluation today by calling 833-254-2923 or contacting us online.

When Should I Reach Out to a Smyrna Car Accident Attorney?

In most cases, there’s no reason not to contact an attorney after a car accident. This is especially true when you work with a team that provides a free initial case review.

There’s no harm in finding out more about your legal options and what you may be owed, as these consultations also come with no obligation to use the attorney’s services afterward. That said, if you’re still on the fence about whether or not you need to involve an attorney, consider the following factors:

Severe Injuries

If you’ve sustained severe injuries — especially any that will come with long-term consequences, require you to miss work, or potentially call for physical therapy or another rehabilitation program — you’ll want to make sure to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible.

These kinds of injuries typically come with higher medical bills, as well as the financial consequences that come with long-term disabilities. An experienced attorney can help you break down the injury’s costs over the long run to ensure you secure the funds you’ll need to provide for your recovery now — and into the future.

Uncooperative Insurance Companies

If you’ve already filed your claim and find that the insurance company you’re working with is either reluctant to accept fault for the accident or intentionally delaying your claim, you’ll want to get an attorney involved.

You may have only received a paltry settlement offer that fails to pay the full costs of your damages. Insurance adjusters will often try to make you settle for much less than you deserve, but an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you anticipate these tactics and prepare for them.

With their knowledge of how insurers work and think, they effectively level the playing field, giving you access to legal information and seasoned negotiation tactics that can make a substantial difference in the outcome of your case.

Uncertain Coverage

If you’re unsure about what insurance coverage to use after your accident, be sure to contact our team. Multiple insurance policies may sometimes apply — such as your own, the at-fault driver’s, or even umbrella policies.

There may also be liable third parties whom you have not yet considered. Your attorney can help you map these different options and steer you in the right direction, maximizing your chances of obtaining a reasonable settlement.

Emotional Distress or Pain and Suffering

While physical injuries can easily be linked to tangible expenses, emotional distress or pain and suffering can be more difficult to calculate. They still constitute significant damages, as they directly impact your quality of life differently.

Your attorney can help you determine what non-economic damages are available and an appropriate amount to be factored into your full damages assessment.

Disputed Liability

If you and the other driver(s) cannot agree on who is to blame for the accident, you may need to loop in an attorney. Remember that Georgia follows a fault-based system, so determining liability can be especially complex.

On top of that, the state specifically follows a modified comparative fault rule, which means you can still seek compensation even if you are partially at fault for the accident. So whether you’re debating who is at fault or just ‘how big’ of a role you played in the accident, your attorney can help you decide how to proceed.

Filing a Lawsuit

In some car accident cases, it makes the most sense to file a lawsuit against the at-fault parties with the assistance of your attorney. Common situations where this may be recommended include:

• Your claim was denied or disputed by an insurer
• The insurer or other liable party failed to offer a reasonable settlement for damages
• Liability is disputed or split between parties in complicated ways
• You are being accused of fault or sued by another party
• You are unable to obtain certain pieces of evidence that could be procured through discovery and other means
• The case involves a criminal act or an egregious act that could qualify for punitive damages
• The case involves substantial damages, such as an injury that was catastrophic, fatal or resulted in a long-term disability for one or more parties
• The liable parties may attempt to destroy evidence or otherwise take actions that would make a claim difficult or impossible to handle through the insurance system alone

Car Accidents with Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists

While being in a car accident is distressing enough, when the at-fault driver is uninsured, the situation will only become more complicated. This is because uninsured drivers pose several risks, including:

• Limited Compensation: If the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance, you may struggle to recover compensation for your injuries or property damage. At worst, this can mean bearing the financial burden of your medical bills (and car repairs) on your own.
• Legal Consequences: Uninsured drivers can also face serious legal penalties, and holding them accountable for their misgivings is important.
• A More Complicated Legal Process: Dealing with an uninsured driver will also often mean navigating a more complicated legal procedure (rather than filing a traditional personal injury claim with an insurance company) — and you may even have to explore alternative avenues for compensation.

Similarly, in some situations, the at-fault driver may have insurance but insufficient coverage to fully compensate you for your damages. So when a driver has insufficient coverage, a car accident lawyer can help you in the following ways:

• Identifying Additional Coverage: A lawyer will help you explore your insurance policy to see if you have additional uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage you can tap into.
• Negotiating with Insurers: If you have UM/UIM coverage, your attorney can help you negotiate with your insurance company to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
• Pursuing Other Avenues: Your attorney may be able to help you pursue the at-fault driver’s personal assets if they do not have an insurance company to tap into. In these situations, your attorney can help you seek compensation through lawsuits, wage garnishments, or property liens.

Complicated Multi-Party Scenarios

Car accidents that involve multiple parties can quickly become complicated and, frankly, overwhelming. In these situations, determining liability will often be more difficult, and managing multiple claims can make it more challenging to keep things organized.

On top of that, multi-party accidents will typically include multiple vehicles or drivers, but they can also involve pedestrians or cyclists. Establishing ‘fault’ in these scenarios will require a thorough investigation and a deep understanding of the circumstances that led up to the accident.

It can be exhausting to try to determine ‘who’ is liable for ‘what’ portion of the damages, injuries, or property loss. Plus, the more parties involved, the more insurance companies you’ll typically need to work with.

Luckily, your lawyer can help you streamline the situation by gathering comprehensive accidents right from the start and then negotiating with multiple insurance companies simultaneously. They’ll also be able to help you file separate claims against each liable party’s insurance to ensure you’re appropriately maximizing your recovery.

Georgia’s Modified Comparative Negligence System

Georgia uses an “at-fault” insurance system, where injury claimants must be prepared to establish fault to claim damages under another person’s (or company’s) insurance policy. If the fault lies with multiple parties, each will split the financial burden of repaying damages according to their assigned liability.

So, in, for example, an accident involving one driver with the majority of fault (80%) and another party with some fault (20%), they would split the costs of the claim between their own insurance policies (80/20). By the same token, any injured claimant would have their total award reduced by their own percentage of fault.

Georgia allows injury victims to file a claim if they don’t hold the majority (51+%) of fault in the accident.

The risk of other parties alleging that you contributed to fault is one major reason to hire an attorney. They can help you fight against accusations of fault, look into the actual circumstances of the accident, and help you avoid reductions to your final payout.

Damages Available in a Car Accident Case

While every car accident case will be different, most will seek to recover one or more of the following types of damages:

• Medical bills, past and future
• Lost wages and all other reductions in earnings
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Property damages
• Pain and suffering
• Funeral and burial costs (for fatal accidents)

Negotiating Property Damage Disputes

Just as the different drivers may dispute their portion of fault in the accident, disputes may arise when it comes time to pay for vehicle repairs or replacement.

Car accidents often result in significant property damage, but your lawyer can help you assess the full extent of the damage caused to your vehicle. They’ll make sure that you’re not just accounting for small, immediate repairs but also factoring in how the accident will affect your car’s resale value down the line.

Then, once they have a full damage report, they can negotiate with the necessary insurance company to secure the maximum compensation for your property damage.

Best of all, they can also help you handle the process as efficiently as possible — because the faster you come to a property damage resolution, the faster you can get on with your life.

Contact a Smyrna Car Accident Law Firm Today

If you were recently involved in a car accident, contact our offices today to see how we can help you recoup any compensation you may be owed for your damages.

At the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, we’re here to help. We can meet with you and your loved ones to review your specific accident details, helping you determine the best path forward.

We’ll kick things off with a free, confidential case review with no obligation, where you can walk us through exactly what happened. Schedule your free case evaluation today by calling 833-254-2923 or contacting us online.